From director Ti West comes The Innkeepers. Set in the venerable Yankee Pedlar Inn, which is about to shut its doors for good after over a century of service. Believed by many to be one of New England's "most haunted hotels,"… MoreFrom director Ti West comes The Innkeepers. Set in the venerable Yankee Pedlar Inn, which is about to shut its doors for good after over a century of service. Believed by many to be one of New England's "most haunted hotels," the last remaining employees -Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy)- are determined to uncover proof before it shuts down for good. As the Inn's final days draw near, odd guests check in as the pair of minimum wage "ghost hunters" begin to experience strange and alarming events that may ultimately cause them to be mere footnotes in the hotel's long unexplained history. -- (C) Magnet Releasing

Fans of the horror genre can expect to get all nostalgic about the 1970s feel to the action, which most certainly includes people going down the basement, all alone, in the dark, and that sort of thing.

Another display of talent from Ti West, who better than many understands that more efficient than the scares is the tension that comes from the waiting and from… MoreAnother display of talent from Ti West, who better than many understands that more efficient than the scares is the tension that comes from the waiting and from what we don't see; he's just not so skillful though in providing a payoff worthy of all the buildup.

Directors Cat

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Ti West once again proves that he understands the mechanics of constructing horror… More[img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon13.gif[/img]
Ti West once again proves that he understands the mechanics of constructing horror from building up an eerie atmosphere to crafting an interesting character out of the "screamer girl" straight after some previously impressive films. He really is a great director, but unfortunately all The Innkeepers does is demonstrate that very fact. In this he intelligently crafts some good scares out of the simple use of camera movement and on a technical level he suceeds in building tension but what it all adds up to is a database of every horror cliche in the book that just happens to look polished and well thought out. As a result of this you can see the ending from about a mile away so i'd be lying if I didn't say I found myself bored waiting for the finale. I would have been fine with it if it didn't make one fatal mistake. Essentially it was one of those scenes in a haunted house horror where a character doesn't decide to leave endangerment and makes one of the most common sense lacking decisions possible. It was a genuine shame, the film started out so well, there were a few scenes that convinced me it was a horror comedy, it managed to be scary and funny simultaneously and that's something very difficult to pull off. That was very entertaining while it lasted though in the end I felt dissapointed simply because it's a film that does everything it can to engross you in the atmosphere but then makes one false move and lets go.

Dead Angel

Slow but nice. Every moment was scary.

Alex roy

Ti West is quickly becoming one of the best directors in Independent horror. The Innkeepers is a slow paced, but effective ghost story. Horror films like this… MoreTi West is quickly becoming one of the best directors in Independent horror. The Innkeepers is a slow paced, but effective ghost story. Horror films like this take time to build its horror. Thus you never know when something really terrifying will happen. The Innkeepers is a great film because it uses the horror basics to create terror and atmosphere. Ti West's directing is impeccable, and that's what makes this film great. The story is simple and provides some great scares. The Innkeepers is one of those films that takes time for the story to unfold. Even if it's slow, it only adds to the films strength because it builds up the feeling of dread in your bones. Along with The Woman in Black, The Innkeepers is the strongest and best ghost film to come out in the horror genre in a long time. Stripped down to its core, The Innkeepers doesn't try to sugar coat anything with fancy special effects or cheap scares. The film is terrific and is a must see for horror fans who prefer traditional horror. Ti West is a great director and what makes him stand out is his films go for the traditional chills of old school horror films. The Innkeepers is a well crafted horror film that is a breath of fresh air in a genre where originality is a rare commodity nowadays. With The Innkeepers, Ti West is securing his place as one of horrors promising new directors. He's far more talented than the likes of Eli Roth and I can't wait what he'll come up with next. This is a must see for horror fans tired of the same old cheap scares and what something to genuinely scare them.

Josh Lewis

After seeing high reviews and many horror fans praise this movie, I must say I was pretty disappointed. I loved Ti West's House of the Devil, but this… MoreAfter seeing high reviews and many horror fans praise this movie, I must say I was pretty disappointed. I loved Ti West's House of the Devil, but this isn't remotely on the same level as that. They both are throwbacks to before horror movies were more about gore and jump scares, but the difference is that The Innkeepers doesn't have likable characters and is much more of a slow burner than House of the Devil. I was so bored for the first hour that I was just hoping something interesting would happen. There's three chapters and an epilogue, with each chapter being about 30 minutes. It wasn't until chapter three that I was interested at all. Add in the fact that it isn't scary at all and you have a well made, but flat film that didn't resonate with me. Others will love its old school vibes, but I would rather recommend them House of the Devil than this.

Randy Tippy

Not what I would call 'great horror' but this one is off-kilter enough to keep you entertained. The charm here is that <i>The… MoreNot what I would call 'great horror' but this one is off-kilter enough to keep you entertained. The charm here is that <i>The Innkeepers</i> never takes itself too seriously, which is good considering no one else will either.

Mark Hobin

Director Ti West created an indie stir in 2009 with The House of the Devil. An up-and-coming American director, he now returns with this gradually building… MoreDirector Ti West created an indie stir in 2009 with The House of the Devil. An up-and-coming American director, he now returns with this gradually building charmer that relies on gently developing events. Yes the account is deliberately slow - it feels like real life. Modern horror devotees will no doubt have little patience for the snail's pace. But this is a cut above the trashy blood and guts flicks that dot the cinematic landscape.
The actors make this haunted house film notable. Pat Healy and Sara Paxton give compelling performances as Luke and Claire. Healy is sardonic and skeptical. Paxton is quirky and likeable. The two innkeepers form a charismatic pair that we actually enjoy watching. Both are engaging slacker personalities. Paxton is especially winning. She was my favorite part about the whole experience. Also on hand is 80s phenom Kelly McGillis as a former actress/psychic. The moments of humor are surprisingly effective. Luke takes advantage of Claire's already jumpy personality several times and the results are pretty funny. Claire's interactions with McGillis' medium are rather amusing too. The historical hotel is the main focus and West mines terror from the unknown forces that intrigue. The story coasts on charm. The plot is pretty slight and it drifts to a dependable conclusion. Thank goodness for our two leads. They make these situations better than average.

MisterYoda ?

three stars!!

Greg S

A pair of hotel clerks decide to investigate the legend of a ghost said to haunt their hotel in the last days before it's closed; they'll wish they… MoreA pair of hotel clerks decide to investigate the legend of a ghost said to haunt their hotel in the last days before it's closed; they'll wish they hadn't. Old-fashioned ghost story that's well-made but too slow paced and low key for most horror fans.

Melvin White

Luke: Everything happens for a reason Claire. Nobody just ends up at the Yankee Pedlar.
"Some guests never check out."
I had been long waiting to… MoreLuke: Everything happens for a reason Claire. Nobody just ends up at the Yankee Pedlar.
"Some guests never check out."
I had been long waiting to see The Innkeepers; the newest film from Ti West, maker of one of my favorite horror films of all-time, House of the Devil. With The Innkeepers, Ti West gives us sort of the same thing he did with House of the Devil. It's not a type of horror film everyone will like. It's slow, doesn't show much, and is extremely brisk in its horror moments. That sounds like a bad thing, but with West at the lead; the movie keeps us entranced and slightly petrified at the possibilities.
Two employees at the Yankee Pedlar are staying the weekend since they are the only two workers there. The place is going out of business since no one wants to stay there because of the rumor that there is a ghost that haunts it. The two workers begin to try to catch some paranormal activity in the Inn while old guests check in.
What this film truly is, is an exercise in atmosphere and tone. The whole movie is based on whether you can accept the film as a piece of purely atmospheric horror. If you can't, you won't like it. I liked it as I love these type of atmospheric horror films, but I could totally understand someone not liking the movie. Unlike House of the Devil, The Innkeepers didn't leave me all that satisfied. I still enjoyed the movie enough because of the setup and the atmosphere, but how the whole film wrapped up was less than what I hoped for.
This is a worthwhile film for horror fans, but casual horror viewers may be turned off by the slowness and overall anti-action direction of Ti West. Fans of West will appreciate it for the amazing camera work, the mood and tones, and number one, the feelings he can evoke just by introducing elements at the perfect time, but never showing anything. There's no doubt that West has a genius way of capturing tension, and I think The Innkeepers proved he can stay and thrive the horror genre for a long time to come. It also shows that he may have to move away from purely atmospheric films and maybe come up with some real concepts to back up his atmosphere. I'm not complaining as I liked both House of the Devil and this, but the slight disappointment I felt at the end of The Innkeepers kind of tells me it wouldn't work a third time.

Mark Walker

Is it just a matter of getting older or are horror films no longer able to capture the imagination anymore?
A lot of recent one's have wisely went back to… MoreIs it just a matter of getting older or are horror films no longer able to capture the imagination anymore?
A lot of recent one's have wisely went back to the premise of ghostly spectres haunting old houses and unsuspecting newcomers arriving to get the bejesus scared out of them. "The Woman In Black" is one, that tried and failed. This latest, from director Ti West, has a little more savvy and actually works reasonably well.
'The Yankee Pedlar Inn' is an old hotel that is plagued with stories of Madeline O'Malley; a ghostly woman that has roamed the hallways. On it's last weekend before closing, two college dropout employees Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) decide to use a video camera and try to capture some evidence of the reported events. One of the last guests to check in is former actress Leanne Rease-Jones (Kelly McGillis), now specialising in the occult, who shares her knowledge of the hotel as things become increasingly sinister.
For a start, this has a bit of an independent feel to it. The characters are likeable and although some performances are stretched, it benefits from the actors being relatively unknown. Despite it's indie feel though, it's shot with complete confidence. As any good ghost story should, it builds slowly and allows the audience to identify with the characters. It also has the perfect setting; a vast, empty, haunted space - that is actually shot in the real Yankee Pedlar Inn - and makes great use of this location. It also helps to inject a bit of humour and two thirds of the movie has it's tongue stuck firmly in it's cheek without compromising the overall intention; scares. When the final act kicks into gear and the ghost is finally revealed, it's get's very interesting and some genuine jumpy moments occur. However, the major problem that plagues this, is that it sets itself up for a big reveal and then doesn't deliver. For a film that prides itself in it's slow build-up and attention to detail, the resolution seems rushed, unexplored and unexplained.
It's a competent effort that benefits from great production design and an eager director but it would have been so much better, if a little more care had been put into the script.

Lorenzo von Matterhorn

<i>"A Ghost Story for the Minimum Wage"</i>
During the final days at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, two employees determined to reveal the… More<i>"A Ghost Story for the Minimum Wage"</i>
During the final days at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, two employees determined to reveal the hotel's haunted past begin to experience disturbing events as old guests check in for a stay.
<center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center>
From 31-year-old director Ti West, who in 2010 directed the wonderfully retro The House of the Devil, comes The Innkeepers, a simultaneously old-fashioned (and unabashedly so) and tongue-in-cheek deconstruction of overused genre clichés such as "the boo moment." But that isn't to say The Innkeepers doesn't embrace these staples with equal affection, and eventually utilizes them wonderfully (and with ample flair) as things escalate toward the chilling final act. What initially distinguishes this supernatural thriller from others of its kind is that the first third of the film offers barely a hint that this is a horror movie. Sure, nobody would be mistaken that this wasn't a fright flick, but the debut act is more concerned with the character development of Claire and Luke and showing the simply the mundane nature of running a practically (excuse the wording) dead business.
These scenes are punctuated with silver-tongued dialogue that would make Sorkin or Tarantino smile. Not to say that West's script is on the same level, but it is certainly akin to that style and speed of exchange. A lack of gore and a very deliberate pace may dissuade those accustomed to the quick-cut, bloody flashiness of mainstream offerings, but this movie again proves ample talent exists in indie circles. Overall very humorous as its pokes and prods at the genre, there is a sense of solemn irony as the credits roll. It is not a depressing finale, nor is it a disturbing one; I would simply peg it as especially fitting. A great score and a definite '70s vibe (far from as intentionally apparent as it was in The House of the Devil, which was in fact set in the 1970s) allows The Innkeepers to rise above recent horror offerings. At the very least, this is a passionate and noteworthy salute to the origins of the modern-day horror flick.